The sea route to Europe: The Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees - 1 July 2015
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
The sea route
to Europe: The
1 July 2015
Mediterranean
passage in the age
of refugees
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
Afghan refugees leave their dinghy and wade ashore in Mytilini, on the Greek island of Lesvos. UNHCR/Jowan Akkash
Europe is living through a maritime refugee crisis.
Europe is living through a maritime refugee crisis joint response.
of historic proportions. Its evolving response has
become one of the continent’s defining challenges of These events raise profound questions. Who are the
the early 21st century, with long-lasting implications people arriving on Europe’s southern shores, where
for humanitarian practice, regional stability and are they coming from, and why? How can Europe
international public opinion. best help them, both to alleviate the suffering that
drives them further from their homes, and to address
In the first six months of this year, 137,000 refugees its root causes?
and migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea,
travelling in terrible conditions upon unsafe boats Six major findings of this report:
and dinghies.
1. The majority of those taking the sea route
Many more tried, but didn’t make it. In mid-April to Europe are refugees, and their numbers
2015, 800 people died in the largest refugee continue to rise rapidly. Most people arriving by
shipwreck on record, highlighting a staggering sea are fleeing from war, conflict or persecution
increase in refugees and migrants dying or missing at home, as well as deteriorating conditions
at sea. This tragedy thrust the crisis into headlines in many refugee-hosting countries. EU States
around the world, and the EU launched a series of have a clear responsibility to offer them
emergency meetings to establish a more effective protection, and an obligation along with others
2
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
to rescue people in danger at sea. below the levels of arrivals (19,000 arrivals
in the first weeks of June alone). This
2. The number of deaths at sea rose to impacts people with special needs, including
record levels in April 2015, then dropped unaccompanied and separated children,
significantly in May and June. While many increasing their vulnerability and risk of
factors contributed to the recent decline, exploitation. This is an emergency situation,
improved European-led search-and-rescue which requires urgent attention and far greater
operations beginning in May have had an support for efforts to handle new arrivals. If
immediate and positive impact. Yet the peak this situation remains unaddressed, onward
months still lie ahead. movement of refugees and migrants is likely to
continue on a significant scale.
3. There has been a major increase in
refugees and migrants taking the ‘eastern 5. The number of refugees and migrants
Mediterranean route’ from Turkey to Greece. entering the western Balkans from Greece
More than 85 per cent of those arriving in has already dramatically increased since the
Greece are from countries experiencing war beginning of June, with over 1,000 people
and conflict, principally Syria, Afghanistan, entering every day, as opposed to 200
Iraq and Somalia. From Greece, most move just a few weeks ago. They face serious
onwards across the Balkans to western and humanitarian and protection challenges linked
northern Europe. Italy remains the primary to the hardship of the journey, the abuses
destination for Eritreans, Somalis and other of smugglers and criminal gangs, and the
people from sub-Saharan Africa. increasing tightening of the borders.
4. As arrivals increase, reception capacity 6. Countries of origin and the international
and conditions remain seriously inadequate. community at large need to do better at
While conditions of reception in Italy vary a preventing and resolving conflicts. Transit
great deal, serious systemic gaps remain in countries need to develop their asylum
Greece. The former Yugoslav Republic of systems, including reception arrangements and
Macedonia and Serbia collectively offer fewer identification processes.
than 3,000 places of reception, significantly
3
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
As EU Member States and others debate how In this exceptional time, Europe and the international
best to respond to these trends, it is important to community need to deepen their solidarity with
place them in the context of a worldwide rise in the forcibly displaced, notably by accepting larger
forced displacement, including a sharp increase numbers of people in need of protection.
in those seeking safety across the sea. Despite
the significant media attention it has garnered, the The protection of refugees has been a core human
Mediterranean crisis constitutes a relatively small value as long as civilization has flourished. There
part of the global picture. When looking at the are references to assisting those fleeing war and
increases in the number of arrivals to Europe, it can persecution in texts written 3,500 years ago, during
easily be forgotten that 86 per cent of the world’s the blossoming of the great Hittite, Babylonian,
refugees are hosted in developing countries. Assyrian and Egyptian empires. In modern times,
the 1951 Refugee Convention has set the global
Europe’s response to the crisis on its own shores standard for refugee protection. At a moment of
sends a particularly important message. As part of persistent and new conflicts, its principles are
the comprehensive response needed, UNHCR is as important as ever. The Common European
calling for a bold response in the number of places Asylum System is an advanced regional protection
offered through resettlement, family reunification and legal framework and must be upheld and fully
other legal alternatives. These should be coupled implemented by all Member States.
with actions to increase intra-EU solidarity and to
address root causes of displacement.
EUROPE IN A WORLD OF DISPLACEMENT
59.5 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced at the end of 2014, as a
result of persecution, conflict and human rights violations, the highest level on
record. That was 8.3 million people more than at the end of 2013: the biggest
annual increase ever in a single year. 19.5 million of those people were refugees.
EU countries hosted a relatively small share of that number. At the end of
2014, the world’s top refugee host was Turkey, followed by Pakistan, Lebanon,
Iran, Ethiopia and Jordan. Lebanon hosted by far the largest number of
refugees by population, 232 per 1,000 inhabitants. Worldwide, 86 per cent
of the refugees under UNHCR’s mandate lived in developing countries.
Source: UNHCR Global Trends 2014, World at War
4
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
5
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
1. Europe’s growing maritime all arrivals.
refugee crisis
Most are likely to qualify as refugees, or receive
In the first six months of 2015, 137,000 refugees some other form of international protection. In 2014,
and migrants arrived in Europe by sea, in profoundly the 28 Member States of the EU gave 95 per cent of
difficult and unsafe conditions. That compares to Syrians protection in the first instance, the highest
75,000 in the same period in 2014, marking an 83 percentage of any nationality, according to Eurostat.
per cent increase over 2014. That number can be
expected to increase further in the second half of The second and third highest countries of origin
the year, especially during the summer months of were Eritrea and Afghanistan, accounting for
July, August and September. Arrivals in the second 12 per cent and 11 per cent of maritime arrivals
half of 2014, for example, were almost double those respectively. In 2014, the 28 EU countries gave 89
of the first half. per cent of asylum-seekers from Eritrea protection,
and 63 per cent from Afghanistan. Arrivals from
In the first half of 2015, 43,900 Syrians came to other top countries of origin, including Somalia, Iraq
Europe’s shores – the single largest group by a and Sudan, may also be in need of international
considerable number, accounting for 34 per cent protection.
of all arrivals. This follows a similar trend in 2014,
when 69,000 Syrians arrived by sea, 32 per cent of Many have first fled for safety to neighbouring
Coffins containing the bodies of refugees and migrants who perished when their boat sank off the coast of Lampedusa. UNHCR/Francesco Maltavolta
6
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
countries, such as Turkey and Lebanon. But place to live and work before attempting to reunite
after years of rising pressure, the economies and later with their families. But they also included
infrastructure of many refugee-hosting countries large numbers of women and children, including
are buckling, making it increasingly difficult for thousands of unaccompanied and separated
refugees to find work, shelter, health care, and children. (See sidebar on unaccompanied and
education. As humanitarian appeals to assist them separated children.)
go underfunded, many simply move on.
The fundamental fact remains that most are
The lack of legal routes leaves no choice for many refugees fleeing conflict and persecution, with
men, women and children but to turn to smugglers, protection guaranteed under international law. The
at enormous cost and danger to their lives. Before Mediterranean boat crisis has become primarily a
arriving in Europe, many suffer high levels of abuse, refugee crisis.
exploitation and human rights violations. Some are
taken hostage at gunpoint, released only if their
families pay ransoms they can ill afford to violent
illegal gangs.
The majority of those arriving in Europe in the first
six months of 2015 were men, searching for a safe
A UNHCR staff member helps refugees and migrants to register at a police station in Kos. UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
7
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
A boat filled with refugees and migrants is rescued by the Italian Finance Police vessel Di Bartolo off the coast of Sicily. Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi
2. Rescue at sea: Tragedy and growing instability in Libya, and rising pressure in
refugee-hosting countries neighbouring Syria, many
response
refugees felt they had no other choice.
In October 2013, a boat carrying hundreds of During the first four months of 2015, the numbers of
refugees and migrants from Libya to Italy sank those dying at sea reached horrifying new heights.
near the island of Lampedusa, killing 368 refugees. Between January and March, 479 refugees and
Shortly after, Italy launched a historic search and migrants drowned or went missing, as opposed to
rescue at sea operation called Mare Nostrum. 15 during the first three months of the year before. In
April the situation took an even more terrible turn. In
This operation contributed to saving thousands of a number of concurrent wrecks, an unprecedented
lives. However, it gradually sparked opposition as 1,308 refugees and migrants drowned or went
some countries saw it as a pull factor. The operation missing in a single month (compared to 42 in April
ended in December 2014. An initially smaller 2014), sparking a global outcry.
operation led by the EU’s border agency, Frontex,
was put in place, with fewer resources, a mandate European leaders held emergency meetings in April
focused on border control, and with a more limited and agreed to triple the funding of their Frontex-
scope to rescue people at sea. led operations in the Mediterranean (bringing it
to the levels of Mare Nostrum), and significantly
This shift did not diminish the number of refugees increase their scope and coverage. This included the
and migrants making the crossing. At a time of deployment of naval vessels from several EU States.
8
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
These efforts are supplemented by many private and
non-governmental initiatives, including operations by
Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) and Médecins
Sans Frontières.
The results were immediate. In May, the number of
refugees and migrants drowned or missing at sea
fell to 68, a quarter of the figure only one year earlier
(226). The downward trend continued in June, which
as of 29 June saw 12 deaths, compared to 305 in
2014.
This decline in deaths at sea is an important
achievement, and a sign that with the right policy,
backed by an effective operational response, it is
possible to save lives at sea. Europe is rising to
the challenge, as it has done on multiple occasions
since the end of World War II. Yet there is a
continued need for vigilance. Even one death at
sea is one death too many. For the thousands of
refugees and migrants who continue to cross the
Mediterranean, the risks remain very real.
9
The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
the majority of arrivals were refugees.
3.1 The Syrian crisis reaches Greece
Large flows of refugees and migrants are a relatively
recent phenomenon in Greece, and it has not
built the infrastructure to cope. This has created
tremendous strain on the island communities who
receive them and on the capacity to deal with
the influx. In most locations reception conditions
were already insufficient, and the authorities
face multiple financial, political and legislative
constraints in responding to the new rise in
arrivals. More assistance is urgently needed.
In 2012, Greece attempted to control the
rising number of land crossings by building
a security fence on the border with Turkey.
Sea-borne arrivals began to rise significantly
thereafter. In 2012, the number of refugees and
migrants arriving on the Greek islands more
than tripled from 3,600 to 11,400; in 2014
it almost quadrupled again to 44,000. In the
first six months of 2015, that peak has already
been surpassed by more than 40 per cent.
Most are fleeing the war in Syria. More than 25,000
people of Syrian origin arrived in Greece in the
first 5 months of 2015, concentrated on the North
Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos, and
in the Dodecanese islands of Kos and Leros.
In April, UNHCR launched a questionnaire to learn
more about the challenges facing Syrian refugees
in Greece, and released the preliminary results in
June, based on 670 of a planned 3500 interviews.
The picture is one of people undergoing a deep
and abiding struggle to survive, and who face even
further hardship as they continue on their journey.
A child sleeps outside the screening centre at Moria, on the Greek island of Lesvos. UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
10The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
3. The rise of the eastern attention as tourists headed to the Greek islands
for their summer holidays, and shone a new
Mediterranean route: the shift to
light on deeply inadequate reception facilities.
Greece
While the central and eastern Mediterranean
Until 2015, the rise in Mediterranean Sea arrivals Sea routes have become comparable
was felt primarily in Italy. Over the course of in size, the profile of the people taking
2014, it received more than three quarters of these routes diverges significantly.
all maritime refugees and migrants (170,000).
In the same year, 43,500 people arrived in The main countries of origin arriving in Italy were
Greece, or less than one fifth of the total. Eritrea (25 per cent), Nigeria (10 per cent) and
Somalia (10 per cent), followed by Syria (7 per
In 2015, that picture has changed. During the cent) and Gambia (6 per cent). The main countries
first six months of 2015, 67,500 people arrived of origin of refugees and migrants arriving in
in Italy, while 68,000 arrived on the islands of Greece were Syria (57 per cent), followed by
Greece – overtaking Italy as the primary point of Afghanistan (22 per cent) and Iraq (5 per cent).
arrival, and already surpassing the numbers for
whole of 2014. This shift attracted growing media Overall, the majority of arrivals were refugees.
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF 2015 SURVEY
OF SYRIAN REFUGEES IN GREECE
• The majority of those questioned were Arab (78%) Sunni (87%) men (83%), between
the age of 18-35 (71%). 40% were university educated, and another 46% had
secondary education. Around half (45%) were married, and 44% had children.
• 60% said they had previously spent time in Turkey (31% had no reply to
this question), often in hotels and hostels. Two thirds of those questioned
said they had received no assistance there, and the majority had left
because of unemployment, and a lack of financial assistance.
• 90% wanted to find asylum somewhere else in the EU, mostly in Germany
and Sweden, for better assistance and employment opportunities. More
than half intended to apply for family reunification once they arrived.
• The majority of Syrians waiting to be registered said they were treated well.
Nonetheless, conditions were very difficult. Almost 20% didn’t have regular
access to a toilet and 70% did not regularly receive hygiene items. 30% had no
mattress to sleep on, more than half had no access to a shower or blankets.
11The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
UNACCOMPANIED AND SEPARATED CHILDREN
In 2015, 8% all refugees and migrants arriving in Italy were unaccompanied
and separated children. This included 9% of those arriving from Eritrea, and
10% of Somalis: the two top countries of origin. Their situation warrants
particular concern, requiring specific reception arrangements and care.
Most unaccompanied and separated children leave the reception centres,
which raises concerns over their wellbeing and protection. Italian national
legislation offers a wide range of guarantees to unaccompanied children,
but there are shortcomings in its implementation, some deep-seated, and
legislative reforms and stronger governance at central level is needed.
Unaccompanied and separated children arriving by sea in Greece
face significant challenges due to the lack of adequate reception
arrangements. Due to poor conditions most quickly leave from official
reception facilities. No central authority has been established to deal
with their needs. Despite some improvements since 2013, measures
to protect them remain inadequate and in urgent need of reform.
12The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
3.1 The Syrian crisis reaches Greece 3.2 Growing pressure in Italy
Such large flows of refugees and migrants are a
relatively recent phenomenon in Greece, which
has not built the infrastructure and services to
address the basic needs of the people arriving.
This has created tremendous strain on the island
communities who receive them. In most locations
reception conditions were already insufficient,
and the authorities face multiple constraints in
responding to the new rise in arrivals. Greece needs
support to be able to rapidly improve its reception
and asylum capacity to match ever-growing needs.
Greece needs more assistance to address these
challenges.
In 2012, Greece attempted to control the rising
number of land crossings by building a security
fence on the border with Turkey. Sea-borne arrivals
began to rise significantly thereafter. In 2013 the
number of refugees and migrants arriving on the
Greek islands more than tripled from 3,600 to
11,400; in 2014 it almost quadrupled again to
43,500. In the first six months of 2015, that peak
has already been surpassed by more than 55 per
cent.
Most are fleeing the war in Syria. Almost 40,000
people of Syrian origin arrived in Greece in the first
six months of 2015, concentrated on the North
Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos, and in
the Dodecanese islands of Kos and Leros.
In April, UNHCR conducted surveys to learn more
about the challenges facing Syrian refugees in
Greece, and released the preliminary results in
June, based on 670 of a planned 3,500 interviews.
The picture is one of people undergoing a deep
and abiding struggle to survive, and who face even
further hardship as they continue on their journey.
A young Afghan girl shelters inside an abandoned hotel in Kos. UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
13The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
In 2011, Italy experienced a staggering increase The reception system has struggled to meet
in arrivals – 62,700, up from 4,500 the year growing needs, despite a major increase in
before. After dipping in 2012, the numbers capacity of up to 80,000 places. Conditions in
started rising again in 2013 (43,000) and reception centres vary and places are limited
reached a new peak in 2014 (170,000). This in comparison to numbers of arrivals.
year it looks set to break records again.
In 2014, 62,000 people applied for asylum in
Italy’s Mare Nostrum operation was a remarkable Italy. It is believed that the majority came by
effort to rescue people at sea, and resulted in sea. Most Eritreans and Syrians, who comprised
saving thousands of lives. Nonetheless, it soon almost half of the arrivals in 2014, do not stay
became apparent that Italy could not handle in Italy (often refusing to be fingerprinted by
this crisis alone. With the return of a robust authorities), but instead move further north.
European search-and-rescue operation in May
2015, deaths at sea have fallen considerably.
Attention is now shifting to the situation of
people once they safely arrive. Significant
improvements in the identification, registration
and reception systems need to be put in place.
14The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
Refugees and migrants from Iraq sleep outside of Kos police station. UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
15The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
4. The onward journey
The majority of refugees and migrants coming
to southern Europe do so with the intention of
travelling onwards. The countries of northern and
western Europe, particularly Sweden and Germany,
are perceived as offering more effective protection,
better support for asylum-seekers, a more
welcoming environment, and easier prospects for
integration. In addition, they are often already home
to members of their families and communities.
In the first half of 2015, Italy saw 67,500 arrivals
by sea. In that time, only 28,500 of those people
applied for asylum. In Greece, an even higher
number of refugees arrived with the intention of
leaving. In the first half of 2015, 68,000 people
arrived by sea in Greece, yet through the end of
May, only 5,115 had applied for asylum.
The onward movement of refugees and migrants
from Greece requires long and dangerous journeys,
often at the hands of smugglers, through the
Balkans and onwards through Hungary.
The number of those moving through this route has
sharply increased since the beginning of June, with
over 1,000 people crossing every day from Greece
through The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
to Serbia. Many men, women and children have
faced widespread abuse and violence along the way
by smugglers and criminal networks. Prior to recent
changes in the law, refugees and migrants crossing
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were
not authorized to use public transport, and as a
result, they have been walking on the railway tracks
and walking or cycling along the emergency lane of
the highway, resulting in various tragic accidents. A
new law allows people to travel legally in the country
for up to 72 hours after registering and receiving
documentation.
The Governments concerned have requested
international support to ensure that the protection
and humanitarian needs of the refugees and
migrants are being addressed, in particular in
the area of reception, asylum and migration
management. The situation remains critical and will
require further support, including through joint efforts
with the European Union, national governments and
NGOs.
16The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
A group of refugees and migrants aboard a dinghy boat approach a beach on the island of Lesvos. UNHCR/Socrates Baltagiannis
17The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
5. The European response is receiving only a relatively small part of the growing
numbers of global refugees, whilst less developed
As the number of refugees coming to Europe’s countries come under ever-increasing pressure.
southern border has risen, so has the pressure
on EU countries to share the responsibility This has come alongside a rise in anti-foreigner
to protect them more equitably, and increase rhetoric and xenophobia in several European
solidarity among EU Member States. countries, including those traditionally welcoming
to refugees. In addition, restrictive policies have
Two internal imbalances have arisen. The been introduced in some European countries,
first is an imbalance in arrivals, with Italy and such as fence-building and push-backs.
Greece facing the large majority of all sea- UNHCR is concerned that such practices place
borne landings. The second is an imbalance refugees at risk, pushing them into the hands of
in destination. In 2014, Germany and Sweden smugglers or simply redirecting their movement.
received 43 per cent of all asylum applications In 2015, European policy towards refugees and
in the EU. This is not sustainable. migrants is in the spotlight as never before.
Recent years have also seen growing concern over UNHCR has called on Europe to
a third imbalance, in which the industrialised world focus on several areas:
Rescued refugees and migrants wait to disembark. UNHCR/Francesco Malavolta
18The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees
1. Saving lives at sea: Continuing a 20,000 more places for resettlement, which
robust search-and-rescue operation in has received the support of the European
the Mediterranean. The historic tragedies Council. UNHCR urges Member States to
this past April galvanized a continent- make concrete commitments towards this
wide debate on how to meet countries’ goal, in addition to existing resettlement
obligation to rescue people at sea. The quotas. UNHCR is also calling for EU
EU responded with concrete action which countries to provide more places for people
included a tripling of funding for rescue in need of protection through alternative
operations. Sharp drops in maritime deaths mechanisms, such as family reunification,
in May and June suggest that the response humanitarian admission, private sponsorship
is working, but the danger is far from over. schemes, and work and education visas.
2. Dignified reception conditions: 5. Collective action in response to the
Providing improved and uniform conditions global displacement crisis: Increased
of reception throughout the EU. Poor cooperation is critically needed to address root
reception conditions and lack of capacity causes of refugee and migrant movements,
creates precarious conditions, fuels tension such as conflict, insecurity, and lack of
with local communities, and contributes access to education and livelihoods. In the
to onward movement. This problem context of forced displacement, finding
is not new and needs to be urgently political solutions to conflicts and human
addressed by EU Member States. rights violations, together with increasing
development cooperation, are critically needed.
3. Ensuring greater solidarity within Europe: Furthermore, major humanitarian operations
Imbalances in arrivals and destination have such as for Syrian refugees being hosted in
created growing pressure for an EU-wide the Middle East, are dramatically underfunded.
response to share asylum requests more Through more targeted assistance, including
equitably. The European Council decision on development initiatives, the resilience and self-
a relocation programme for 40,000 Syrian reliance of refugees and internally displaced
and Eritrean asylum-seekers is an important populations could be strengthened, allowing
step along the way to finding answers to them to live their lives with hope and dignity.
significant arrivals of refugees on European
shores, and the participation of all Member These are crucial first steps to deal with the rising
States will be key to its success. It is hoped global displacement crisis. In the longer-term,
that this measure will be expanded to address however, more will be needed. The rise in forced
rapidly evolving needs, and the fact that displacement has become a global challenge, on a
an increased proportion of sea arrivals is scale not seen since the end of the Second World
now taking place in Greece. The Council War. It demands a commensurate response.
decision can help to alleviate pressure on
Italy and Greece, but also needs to be Bold thinking is needed to design a system
accompanied by a better functioning of capable of tackling what increasingly looks like
the Common European Asylum System, the new normal. It requires a comprehensive
including the Dublin Regulation. In addition, approach, balancing state responsibilities with
UNHCR has long recognised the importance regional and global solidarity, and bringing in
of return programmes for people not in need not just those traditionally involved in protection,
of international protection to preserve the security and border control, but multiple actors.
integrity of asylum systems, and this should
be done in line with fundamental rights and In times of conflict, fences and borders will not
respect for the principle of non-refoulement. stop people fleeing for their lives. They will come.
The question facing the international community
4. Increasing legal avenues to safety: The is not whether to engage with this crisis, but
Agenda on Migration includes a proposal for how best to address it, and how humanely.
19You can also read
